LEVEL, the long haul low cost airline brand of British Airways’ parent, International Airlines Group (IAG), will operate three weekly flights between Paris Orly and Montreal starting on July 2, 2018. One way flights start at $199 CA.

The IAG brand, based in Barcelona and operated by IAG’s Iberia and OpenSkies, is establishing a base in Paris and will also be introducing four weekly flights to Gualeloupe on July 3, three weekly flights to Martinique on September 3, and four weekly flights to Newark (New York) on September 4 from the French capital. Flights from its Barcelona base to Boston are also being launched with the airline operating twice weekly service starting in March 2018.

LEVEL offers five fare levels, ranging from the bare bones LEVEL fare, which provides a seat and one carry-on bag, to LEVEL+, which also includes a meal and one checked bag, to the unrestricted LEVEL PREMIUM FLEX fare, which also includes priority boarding, seating in a premium cabin, and two checked bags.

IAG also announced that it will be closing its OpenSkies operation, which operates flights between Paris Orly and two New York-area airports; John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. All OpenSkies staff will transfer to LEVEL

IAG announced the launch of LEVEL in March 2017 as a pre-emptive strike against new low cost, long haul carriers such as WOW Air and Norwegian, and the first flight, between Barcelona and Los Angeles, operated on June 1, 2017. At the time, Willie Walsh, IAG’s chief executive officer said “This is the start of a fantastic new adventure for IAG. LEVEL’s sales are well ahead of our expectations in all markets. The brand has resonated with a new audience, many of whom are flying long haul for the first time.”

“In 2018, LEVEL will increase its fleet to five aircraft and we are considering other European bases for the operation.” Walsh added, and the Paris base is the result.

The brand operates two 314-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft with another three aircraft on order. Two of LEVEL’s A330s will be based at Paris Orly to support the new operation, while the third aircraft will be based in Barcelona.

There has been no mention in any of LEVEL’s announcements or on their website, of whether they intend to work with the travel agent community or compensate agents for booking them. But as a low cost carrier, it appears unlikely that they will.

To learn more about LEVEL, visit their website.

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